The average temperature for the contiguous US was 71.8F (22.1C) in June – a full 3.3F (1.8C) above the 20th-century average and breaking a record set in 1933. More than 30 lives have been lost in disasters including flooding in Texas, tornadoes across the south-east and wildfires in the west. This year is almost certain to be the warmest on record globally, beating a mark set in 2014 and then again in 2015. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), the first six months of 2016 have been the third warmest on record in the US. Boston, Philadelphia and Washington have already experienced temperatures above 90F, with southern states basking in temperatures significantly above average.

Source: The Guardian July 07, 2016 17:14 UTC